


Ascetic

by cutsycat



Series: Dictionary.Com Word of the Day Drabbles [488]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-17
Updated: 2017-03-17
Packaged: 2018-10-06 10:01:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10332131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cutsycat/pseuds/cutsycat
Summary: A look at Gibbs' austere life and why that is. Also a lot of self-recrimination on Gibbs' part.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Another dictionary.com word of the day drabble. This time from 09/01/2000 for the word [ascetic](http://www.dictionary.com/wordoftheday/2000/09/01/ascetic).
> 
> ascetic  
> One who renounces material comforts and practices extreme self-denial, especially as an act of religious devotion.  
> Pertaining to or characteristic of an ascetic;extremely strict in self-denial; austere;severe.
> 
> This is for the [ncis-drabble ](http://ncis-drabble.livejournal.com/) community on LJ's challenge: #188 Pessimistic.
> 
> As always comments, kudos, and constructive criticism are greatly appreciated.

# 

Ascetic

Gibbs had long ago decided to be an ascetic. He’d made that decision after he lost Shannon and Kelly. It was his way of paying penance for failing them. That decision also marked his fall into pessimism. 

He no longer saw hope. He only saw how the world continually failed everyone. He tried to right the wrongs that he could, but he knew that what he did had a minimal effect at best. Technically he hadn’t given up all material comforts, but he had given up most of them. 

He slept on his couch instead of a bed. He refused to allow himself to have a relationship that might succeed. He refused to allow himself anything that brought him joy. He only participated in work and his boats. Both of which were penance for failing his women. Pessimistically, he refused to believe that he could be happy again after losing them.

**Author's Note:**

> Prompts are currently open. If you'd like to prompt me, please do so [here](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/NCIS_Prompts_2017/profile). Note you have to be an ao3 member to do this. 
> 
> If you are not an ao3 member, you can prompt me [here](http://cutsycat.livejournal.com/50701.html). Please follow the same rules as are listed in the above link. However, because this is a handmade prompt form(that thinks it's a poll), it is considerably more limited than what ao3 provides, so please use the ao3 form if you're an ao3 member. Please note the name option is for a name that I can say this is for so that you know it's for you. Since this is for non ao3 members it won't be true gifts, but you will be mentioned in the notes.
> 
> This is a new thing I'm trying, so please leave feedback here if you think it could be improved.


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